10 Organization Hacks to Get Your Home Free of Clutter

Who else dreads knowing someone is stopping by when your place is a mess? It doesn’t take Mario Kondo telling you a quick tidying-up is in order.

Tidiness and organization mean two different things, though. What’s organized to someone single is different than that of a couple living together. It makes you wonder if those quirky organization hacks are practical at all!

If you’ve spent any time on mom blogs, Pinterest, and Facebook then you know what we’re talking about. So, what’s the best way to get your place together so you’re not embarrassed by how you live?

Keep reading and learn 10 home hacks to give everything a proper place.

Decluttering 101: Do These First to Make Organizing a Cinch

There’s no point in organizing if you’re stuffing things in other places. Shifting items from one room to another still means you’re smothered. And, putting things “out of sight and out of mind” isn’t an option!

Do these three things before the organization hacks:

Make a plan

Declutter the space

Change your lifestyle

Follow these steps and you’ll make the most of your organization efforts.

Planning

You’ll notice in hoarding or tidying shows that people have a hard time parting with stuff. The organization is as much a mental game as it is removing items.

Here’s what you do:

Set a goal (eg. clean/organize one room)

Set a date (eg. before the move)

Set a strategy (eg. anything worn out goes)

A concrete goal, date, and strategy make it hard to back out on the decision.

Decluttering

Pick whatever decluttering method works for you and spend time doing it.

Lifestyle Changing

You need to reassess your consumer habits if you want to avoid becoming overwhelmed by stuff. It comes down to ending “retail therapy” and getting the most from what you own. Your goal is to stop lifestyle creep before your home is overrun with stuff you don’t remember buying.

Let’s get to the hacks given you completed (or at least planned) these steps.

The Organization Hacks: 10 Household Organizing Ideas to Bring Order to the Chaos

Ready to give everything a place? Do these things.

1. Magnetize

Magnetic strips are inexpensive and versatile for hanging items in discreet locations. The strips are available at most retail stores and hobby shops for $5 to $10 per package. Some include a sticky side you’ll find great for the project.

What can you do? Try applying the magnetic strips to:

Small knick-knacks

Major jars and storage

Electronics’ cables

Add a strip of metal to the underside of a desk or end table. Or, run a metal strip across a free area of a wall. Then, stick items and storage so it’s off busy surfaces.

2. Clear Boxed Pantry

Pantries become a mess if you’re not doing the first-in, last-out swap. Before long, your pantry is overrun with cans, boxes, and other goodies.

What can you do?

Pull all items out of the pantry

Check the dates, toss what’s spoiled

Organize by meal, food, or flavor type

Place goods into clear boxes

Slide boxes back onto pantry shelves

This organization system compartmentalizes food. You’ll never second guess if items are available nor will you waste money rebuying stuff you have.

3. Maximize Tiny Closets

There are several ways to make the most of your tiny closet:

Install a collapsable rod for hangable items

Use chains and S-hooks to stack hung clothing

Attach curtain rods to the back of the door for added space

4. DIY Crevice Organizer

That small crevice between the fridge and cabinets and counters? That’s prime real estate for all kinds of kitchen goodies!

What you’ll need:

4 x 1×4’s

1 large ply

4 small wheels

Measure, cut, and frame a shallow box using the supplies. Then, attach the ply to its side and wheels to its bottom. Turn it on its side and voila! You have a vertical, crevice organizer!

5. Quirky Cork Boards

You can cut down cork boards and mount them around the home:

Behind a cupboard door

On the sink’s backsplash

Next to the front/back door

Use push pins to hang items like measuring cups, keys, and even small clothing.

6. Make Use of Low Lying Spaces

The gap under end tables, dressers, and coffee tables? These are great places to place a few items given they stay organized. You can keep them tidy by upcycling a picture frame so it slides in/out without trouble!

7. The Tube Hack

Your cable box is likely a jumbled mess — fix it:

Toss out what you don’t need

Save empty toilet roll tubes or paper towel tubes

Fold and place cords inside the tubes

Now you’ve got an easy way to organize cables without getting tangled!

8. Repurpose Office Organizers

Office organizers may not look as good as home organizers but you can touch them up if you’re feeling crafty!

Try:

Magazine organizers to hold canned goods

Desk trays to stack plates/pans

Mounted folder organizers for the closet

You can save even more by shopping for these items at office closeout stores.

9. Upgrade the Headboard

Max out the space above beds by swapping side tables for single-file shelving. Then, run a board across the top. The board and shelving both add quite a lot of extra storage space in your rooms.

10. Convert the Bed Frame

You’re taking up a lot of space with the bed’s frame and base.

Do this:

Measure the bed from floor to mattress

Build a wooden frame to the specifics

Swap the metal frame and base for the new base

Add boxes on each layer for double the storage

This project would condense your bedroom into what was once waste space!

Fewer Things Makes a More You

Doing organization hacks is more than putting things away.

The organization gives more time to do the things you love and more time with those who matter. This is what Marie Kondo means when she talks about the “life-changing” benefits of tidying up. You should find balance in organizing what’s worth keeping and what you can do without.